The Collett School Accessibility Plan. Review Sep2028

St Luke's School Accessibility Plan. Review Sep 2028

Sexual abuse of peers on other peers is not a new phenomenon, though has recently been in the news as a result of the extent of this in some schools.   In our schools, we act proactively through our curriculum and pastoral care to ensure behaviours between peers are respectful.  Where we do have allegations, these are treated extremely sensitively and thoroughly investigated.  

Children with learning disabilities need Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) to support their understanding about relationships, respectful behaviours and how to manage puberty and natural, sexual inclinations.

Like all schools, we remain vigilant and aware of sexual abuse online and have tight procedures that limit access to online platforms where harm is often undertaken.  We support families where online abuse occurs and such children involved are supported extensively in school. 

If your child reports any allegations regarding sexual abuse (or otherwise) please contact the school immediately where our Safeguarding Lead and wider safeguarding team will support you and your child.

We know that half of all Hertfordshire County Council's carbon output comes from the schools.

Our pupils and staff are passionate about reducing our carbon footprint and are currently considering what targets we can and should be aiming for to reduce our carbon footprint to at least neutral.  

Works achieved that have reduced energy use:

• The Collett School - 2016 New roof on the main building 
• The Collett School - 2018 New double glazed windows
• The Collett School - 2020 Replacement of two classrooms with energy efficient measures
• The Collett School - 2020 LED lighting replacement of flourescent and tungsten bulbs complete
• The Collett School - new boilers and heating pipework completed November 2021
• The Collett School - 2022 Tree planting
• St Luke's School - 2014 Double glazed windows installed
• St Luke's School - 2018 New boilers, new pipework across the school
• St Luke's School - 2022 Tree planting
• St Luke's School - LED lighting improvement completed 2023.
• St Luke's School - replacement of two further boilers to more energy efficient types, Dec 2023 and July 2024

Works planned to reduce /offset energy use:

• St Luke's School - new roofing across the school (Planned for Summer 2025)

Black Lives Matter

Our belief that every young person, through access to a great education, should be able to realise their potential, regardless of where they live or their circumstances. 

Our federation acknowledges that systemic racism is a problem that must be addressed everywhere. We have a duty to face up to the difficult conversations that ultimately result in the lifting of those ini our community who are ethnically diverse. We know that in Britain, Black children are more likely to experience poverty, have poorer educational outcomes, be excluded from school, be unemployed, and come into contact with the criminal justice system. They are less likely to access the care they need if they are struggling with mental health problems, and Black children are more likely to act as carers for ill and disabled family members and to miss out on support.  We know that the Black community is under-represented in teaching staff, even more so at a leadership level and we acknowledge that that impacts upon Black children’s experience of education. We acknowledge the position we are in today and we refuse to fail to learn.

It is crucial that we take action beyond statements.  We welcome challenge on our practices and will not be afraid of robust questioning.

Furthermore, we have:

• Promoted the comprehensive review of the curriculum coverage of Black history in our schools, to ensure that, at every key stage, Black voices are heard, Black stories are told and Black achievements and contributions to society are celebrated. 
• Reviewed the entire curriculum experience to ensure that there is good representation of ethnically diverse voices and experiences: in and outside the formal taught curriculum, in each subject area, through trips and visits coverage and the profile of speakers.
• For all internal recruitment and external recruitment, minimised unconscious bias by presenting blind view CVs to hiring managers.
• Monitored and taken action upon any differences in successful hires, performance results, promotions and pay between our Black and non-Black colleagues.
• Invited all colleagues that identify as ethnically diverse with a view to creating internal, education tools and lifting BAME voices to make robust recommendations that seek to further the cause of ending systemic racism both internally and with the work that we do.
• Recognised that these issues affect the whole community, and we extend these commitments to all affected.

August 2020

In late June, we met as a federation to discuss matters that could be better addressed within our schools.  As such, we have a committee of people who will work to ensure our systems, procedures, behaviours, resources and teaching content reflect the values we hold and wish to make explicit. 

October 2020

We proudly took part in Black History Month again this year.

Continued reflection of our teaching content and influence has ensured changes to what we teach and, how we ensure pupils have a broad understanding of the positive contributions black, Asian and minority ethnic people have made to the UK and world

January 2021

All welcome to attend the Zoom meeting regarding discussions on BLM and ideas development to benchmark our progress.

February 2021

• We have taken part in HfL and HCC online forums.
• We have reviewed our curriculum
• We are asking everyone on our community to share and discuss any racist experiences that we need to ensure don't happen again and, to heal through discussion and action.
• We promote anti-racism
• Our curriculum includes a more balanced BAME representation in history, politics
• We have reviewed and improved our interview process to ensure unconscious-bias does not have a place in recruitment

March 2021

Our survey across the federation has generated ideas and practical considerations for improvements to ensure we get to a racism free environment.  Work on our curriculum continues and training is being developed. 

November 2021

We continue to work to embed black culture, literature, art, history and music as meaningful, relevant and inspirational aspects of our curriculum.  We value the response from HfL on the anniversary of George Floyd's death May 2021

May 2022

We have audited our curricula and made changes to our curriculum to include further diversity in those influential people we study and the impact of people on our culture and society including mainstream and minorities.  Our libraries have greater diversity of black and brown protagonists in literature, whilst our non-fiction has more recent publications that capture a more diverse cannon of influencers.

February 2023

We have a teacher at St Luke's who is our Diversity Ambassador, promoting diversity and auditing our provision.

October 2023

We have a teacher at The Collett School, who is our Diversity Link, promoting diversity and auditing our provision.

May 2024

We have held diversity events throughout the year, including diversity doorways and changes to our library and promotion of difference.  Our celebration of difference is embedded and our audits show that the increase and changing implementation of ethnic diversity is rolling out across all subject areas.

With our diversity information boards, we promote and celebrate difference in our schools.   Young people who identify as gay have contributed to the designs of the diversity boards and pupils with differences continue to share their thoughts, ideologies and information through assemblies, newsletters and curriculum planning.

Curriculum

Our curriculum celebrates the work and achievements of lesbian, gay and bisexual people through history as part of our diversification of what is taught and understood.  

Behaviour

We record separately incidents of a homophobic nature and analyse impact and further teaching/ programmes.   We have relatively few incidents of homophobic and racist language as all staff are engaged in preventing such language and following up all incidents as they take place.

Toilets

Our toilets have all been changed at Collett and most changed at St Luke's to be non-gender specific.  In turn, these have reduced incidents of bullying and made the toilets less intimidating places.

Uniform

Our uniform across the schools is non-gender specific and we have pupils opting to wear uniform that had previously been designated gender specific. 

We are very proud of our pupils feeling confident to celebrate their differences - who they are, want to be and how this helps change minds and opinions of others.